The october issue of WIRED Magazine has a pretty sweet spread on Second Life, including a brief history of the virtual world, its economy, where to shop, how to have sex, what games you can play, and even some profiles on some of the criminal element that have been banned from SL. I like the huge fold-out "world map" with pointers to notable spots to visit, including the Spaceflight Museum, the Edge nightclub, Amsterdam, Svarga, Neufreistadt, Nakama and Jessie.
It’s great seeing more well-rounded publicity for SL, rather than just focusing on the virtual sex or the gaming and gambling aspects. Kudos to writers Hamlet Au, Bingham Roundfield, Tuber Qwireduatro, and Walker Spaight.
Strangely, the SL Insider story on the WIRED article takes a dim view of it. Insider blogger Master Penguin noting that "the article is pretty lacking." He continues, "It had an abnormally large portion dedicated to having sex, and also featured people who have been banned from Second Life. Possibly not painting Second Life in its best light." I’m unclear on what article Master Penguin read, but certainly not the one in the October WIRED.
i wrote one as well, come out later this year
http://www.seanpercival.com/books.php